Get back on the course after hip or knee replacement
Most golfers are back within a few months. Whether you're still scheduling surgery or already six weeks out, here's the realistic timeline, what the research says about your game, and how to build the path from first putts to a full round — with a physical therapist who meets you at your home, your gym, or the range, anywhere in Dallas–Fort Worth.
When can you play golf again?
It's the question almost every golfer asks before the surgeon has finished the sentence. Here's the honest answer, and why the average won't be your date.
Across nine studies, golfers returned in about 4.4 months on average. Treat that as a benchmark, not a deadline.
That figure pools hip, knee, and shoulder replacements, so it smooths over a lot of individual variation. Your surgeon's precautions come first. After that, four things set your pace: how the swelling settles, how much strength returns to the surgical leg, how far you can walk comfortably, and whether you're aiming for nine holes in a cart or a walking round.
What happened to 2,198 golfers' games after surgery
A study of amateur golfers tracked handicap, how often they played, and whether they made it back to club competition. The short version: most people got their game back, and roughly kept it.
One stroke added to the average handicap.
Played as much golf as before, or more.
Back in club competition within six months.
One finding is specific enough to change how you should train: after knee replacement, golfers whose replaced knee was on the trail side ended up with higher handicaps. The same lead-versus-trail gap didn't show up after hip replacement. Which knee you had done should shape what you work on.
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From surgery to the first tee
Early visits are about comfortable motion, walking without a limp, and rebuilding the surgical leg. Then the work gets golf-specific: your stance, your turn, weight shift onto the operated side, uneven lies, getting in and out of a cart, and — the part most rehab skips — hitting shot after shot without the joint complaining on the back nine.
You work with one board-certified orthopedic specialist the whole way, not a rotating staff. And because Argan comes to you, the plan can start in your living room, move to your gym, and finish with your own clubs at the range. Nothing gets handed off at the point where rehab usually stops.
How to build back, one step at a time
Once you're cleared, the safest ramp starts short. Putting and chipping load the joint least; full swings and walking load it most. Work up in that order.
- 01 Putting and chipping
- 02 Half swings with wedges and short irons
- 03 A short range session
- 04 Full swings with selected clubs
- 05 Nine holes with a cart
- 06 More holes or more walking
Change one variable at a time — more swings, a longer club, more holes, or more walking, but not two at once. If a step leaves you sore the next morning, repeat it before adding the next one. That's not a setback; that's the dose finding its level.
We meet wherever the work needs to happen
Rehab for golf shouldn't happen entirely in a treatment room. Argan is mobile across Dallas–Fort Worth, with online visits available, so the setting can match the stage you're in.
Driving range or golf course
Bring your own clubs. We can look at how your hip or knee handles putting, chipping, full swings, walking and repeated shots.
Home and online
At home, we can bring clubs and a portable net. Online visits let us review your movement, guide the program and keep the plan moving forward.
Your gym
Use the equipment already there to build leg strength, balance, step control and the endurance you need for golf.
Your office
A private gym or open space can keep the visit inside your workday. We bring the equipment we need.
Questions about golf after hip or knee replacement
Straight answers to the questions golfers ask most.
When can I return to golf after hip or knee replacement?
A review of nine studies reported an average return time of about 4.4 months. Use that as a rough benchmark. Your surgeon’s instructions come first. Your walking, swelling, strength and golf goal then guide the pace.
Should I use a cart at first?
A cart is often a practical first step because it reduces the amount of walking. You still have to swing, get in and out, bend and move across uneven ground.
Does it matter whether the replaced joint is on my lead or trail side?
Yes. The two sides manage the turn and weight shift differently. The evaluation should look at where you avoid pressure, where motion stops and how that changes as you repeat the swing.
Can the evaluation take place at a driving range?
Yes. We can meet at a driving range or golf course. Your initial evaluation can also take place at home, at your gym, at your office or online. We choose the setting that best matches what you need to work on.
Do I need to be pain-free before I practice?
Not every golfer is fully pain-free before the first practice session. The better question is whether symptoms stay controlled, movement remains steady and the session does not create a clear setback afterward.
Who clears me to return?
Your surgeon or appropriate medical provider sets medical clearance and surgical precautions. Physical therapy helps determine what your body can handle within those instructions and builds the return plan.
Do I need a referral or my surgeon's clearance first?
You don't need a referral to schedule an evaluation in Texas, though state rules may require one if care continues past a certain point — we'll tell you when that applies. Surgical clearance is different: your surgeon sets the precautions, and we build the return plan inside them. If you're not cleared for golf-specific work yet, there's still plenty to do on strength and walking in the meantime.
How does payment work?
Argan is private-pay, with payment due at the visit. HSA and FSA cards are accepted, and we can provide a superbill you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Because visits are one-on-one and an hour long, most golfers need noticeably fewer of them than a typical clinic schedule.
Research and medical sources
- Robinson et al.: Rate and Timing of Return to Golf After Hip, Knee or Shoulder Arthroplasty
- Hoggett et al.: How Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Affects Golfer Performance and Return to Play
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Activities After Total Knee Replacement
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Activities After Total Hip Replacement
- American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons: Resuming Sports After Hip Replacement
- American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons: Resuming Sports After Knee Replacement
Let's find out where you actually are
Tell us what you're aiming for — a bucket at the range, nine holes in a cart, or walking eighteen with your regular group. The evaluation shows where you stand today and what the next four weeks should look like. Serving Southlake, Colleyville, and the surrounding Dallas–Fort Worth area.